Just so you guys know...since it seems like you don't...the fatso in suspenders is Wang Shu Jin, noted badass and seriously hardcore dude. He earned his fame to a large dergree in Japan and Drager writes about him....he has broken karate black belts wrists on that big ass belly of his. In CMA circles he is a very apt choice to compare to Mas Oyama....even if he is a fatass.

3/06/2005 2:16am,

Hedgehogey

You know, oftentimes I think to myself, "Why Hedge old boy, perhaps TCMA isn't that bad...They're just suffering from a lack of aliveness...And perhaps those goofy reverse punches are, in fact, wrist grabs in actual application..."

And then a thread like this comes along...Wherein a man-shaped sculpture of oily marzipan in what appears to be pants, shirt and tie of three conflicting sizes is held up as an example of ultimate baddassery for being so bloated that unverifiable, anonymous karate black belts have broken their makiwara-hardened hands attempting to pull their fists out of his buttergut.

Please, TCMAists, next time something like this happens, just laugh it off and say "HAHA YEAH THATZ STOOPID LOLLERSKATES" (with optional "aren't you a genius for noticing that?" sarcasm) and leave it at that, instead of rushing to defend whatever goofy old picture gets dug up from google image search in a tragic imitation of KFDW.

So, it is more important how he looked (note that the early 1900's outfit was widely worn in the early 1900's) than how he performed? From memory, he was a big fan of having students drill the basics of the art and do lots of sparring, in addition to standing or form practice. I am certain there are a couple older men that not in "apparent shape" but are still complete badasses in their own right out there; a local stick fighter/shootfighting guy comes to mind.

3/06/2005 6:09pm,

Boyd

I think the point is that the best kung fu has to offer is a nobody that beat up other nobodies.